


Even Tony Stark Cries Over Math Sometimes

by btBatt



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Developing Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles, Tony Stark Needs Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-17 01:10:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11840844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/btBatt/pseuds/btBatt
Summary: forwinterlysoldier'stumblr prompt: Currently crying over my math homework (why did I think taking a 5 week summer class was a good idea) so I could really go for some like super fluffy stony with lots of cuddling; maybe they're watching a movie; maybe Tony is a sleep deprived mess and Steve cuddle attacked him to get him to sleep; I just want fluffy stony haha





	Even Tony Stark Cries Over Math Sometimes

**Author's Note:**

> [originally posted](http://batterology.tumblr.com/post/162421515820/currently-crying-over-my-math-homework-why-did-i) on my tumblr earlier this summer

The whole couple thing is still new, and Steve’s trying his damnedest to respect Tony’s private space. Tony’d been so hesitant when they first decided to try out this relationship. There’d been an entire speech.

“I’m going to fuck it up,” Tony had told him, eyes big and scared and hopeful. “I’m going to be gone too much for business and forget to come to bed and I’ll talk during the best parts of movies and—well, I probably won’t forget your birthday. Or, maybe I will, but c’mon, the Fourth of July? God, I’m probably going to forget your _birthday—”_

“Tony,” Steve had said, a hand on Tony’s jaw and a smile on his face, big a dopey. God, he never thought he could be so happy in this new century, never thought he could look at another person and think, _I’m home._ “It’ll be fine. We’ll work on it, together.”

“No,” Tony had said, “I’m going to lock myself in my lab and disappear for days at a time, but sometimes that’s what I have to do, that’s just how I am and—”

And so Steve had promised to respect his space, and Tony had sworn on Maria’s grave to honestly try to be where he said he would be when he said he would be there. And it’s been going pretty well considering it’s him and Tony, but SI’s in the middle of a crisis—which is fine, Tony told him he’d be pretty busy until the metaphoric fire was extinguished, but there was clear communication and everything. The crisis has been going on for two weeks, though, and four days ago Tony blacked out the lab and stopped letting people in.

Technically, Steve knows he has a master override as the leader of the Avengers, but he trusts Tony, he does.

If he makes it to five days in blackout mode, though, Steve might just break down the door.

Steve’s thoughts are interrupted by the chime of the elevator. He looks over from where he’s sitting on the couch and it’s Tony. Steve’s heart jumps like it does whenever he’s been away from Tony for too long, and he’s on his feet before he even realizes, grinning at his boyfriend.

“Tony,” he says. Tony stumbles out into the penthouse, eyes glassy, no evidence that he’s heard Steve at all. Steve’s smile softens and he steps forward to get in Tony’s path. It’s ridiculously adorable, really, the way Tony’s hair stands up like a sleepy mad scientist and the smudge of whatever-that-is high on his cheekbone. Tony blinks at Steve’s mouth a couple times—not suggestively, that’s just eye-level for Tony—before looking up to meet Steve’s eyes.

“Hey there, Shellhead,” Steve says. “All done saving your company?”

He means for it to be teasing, but Tony just stares back at him grimly.

“I started fucking up the vector calculations, Steve,” he says insistently. “JARVIS locked everything down? He said it was a protocol for when I’m mentally impaired, but this is just mutiny—I’m not done yet—”

“I’m sure you’re just tired,” Steve reassured him. “JARVIS will let you back in after you’ve eaten and slept a little. Right, JARVIS?”

“Of course, Captain.”

“The _vectors,”_ Tony says again and—fuck, no, wait, those are actual tears in Tony’s eyes. Steve doesn’t know anything about vectors, but he knows that messing up the calculations is going to make Tony cry real tears in about four seconds. Steve is definitely not equipped to deal with this.

“Hey, whoa,” he says quietly. He reaches out and Tony melts into the hug, head in the crook of Steve’s neck and taking such deep breaths that Steve knows he’s crying for real now. “We’ll figure this out, okay?”

“Okay,” Tony says, his lips brushing right above Steve’s collarbone. Not that kind of situation, he tells his body firmly.

“You’re working yourself into the ground, you just need a little rest is all.”

Tony sways, even with Steve holding him, and Steve ushers him to the couch and sits him down before turning towards the kitchen.

“Steve?” Tony says, sounding slightly panicked over his backdrop of general stress.

“Shh,” Steve says, and briefly rests his hand on top of Tony’s head (even though his hair is admittedly disgusting). “Right back, okay?”

“Mm-hm,” Tony mumbles, so Steve gets a tupperware container full of leftover Hawaiian pizza and three bottles of purple Gatorade, and brings them back to where Tony’s sitting exactly as Steve left him.

“Pizza for breakfast?” Tony blinks at the container of still-cold pizza. (Steve swears he’s not being rude, this is how Tony insists he likes his leftover pizza.)

“It’s 3 PM,” Steve says.

“Pizza for breakfast,” Tony says again. “Wow, thanks.”

Steve hands him a Gatorade first, and then snuggles up to him on the couch. Pizza maybe isn’t the best choice of food right now, but Tony needs calories first and foremost—Steve doesn’t even want to know the last time he ate—and Steve can always get real food after Tony’s slept.

Steve gets Tony leaning against him and puts a hand in his boyfriend’s hair, combing out the knots and working out the clumps of what might be motor oil, even if it is a little gross. Tony picks a piece of pineapple off the pizza and pops it in his mouth after drinking half the first bottle of Gatorade. Steve really, really hopes he plans to eat more than just the pineapple, but he’s not going to press the issue right now.

“JARVIS, wanna start up whatever’s next on the list?” Steve asks a couple minutes later.

“My pleasure,” JARVIS says and, oh, right, they’re in the middle of the original Star Trek. Tony makes a happy humming sound next to him. They settle like that for almost half an hour before Tony speaks again, heavy and warm against Steve’s shoulder.  
“M’sorry,” he says.

“Nope,” Steve says. “This isn’t one of those things you have to be sorry for. I’m happy to help.”

Tony’s quiet for another couple of minutes, and Steve thinks he’s definitely nodded off this time, his breathing deep and even, but he breaks the silence once more, sounding at least half asleep.

“Thanks, Winghead.”

“Anytime,” Steve says. He’s not sure if Tony hears him or not, but when he checks a few seconds later, Tony’s out like a light.

**Author's Note:**

> [follow me!](http://batterology.tumblr.com/) and if you really wanna make my day, send me [prompts](http://batterology.tumblr.com/ask/)


End file.
